This invention relates generally to an improved cladding for covering exterior facing surfaces of wood, foam, plastic, particle board, vinyl and urethane trim members of buildings such as window and exterior door frame trim and moldings for exterior siding. More specifically, this invention relates to such cladding which features a flap hingably connected to a surface portion thereof which has an open position tilted away from the surface portion to permit fasteners to be driven through the surface portion and a closed position flush against the surface portion for concealing holes through the surface portion through which fasteners have been driven to fasten the cladding covered trim member to an adjacent structural member.
Broadly speaking, semi-flexible plastic cladding for covering the otherwise exposed exterior surfaces of trim members, such as, for example, wooden trim members, which are fastened to adjacent wooden structural elements are known in the prior art. In some cases such prior art cladding can be applied to trim members after fasteners have been driven through the trim member to secure it to an adjacent wooden supporting member. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,478,478 issued in the name of D. F. Luebs on Nov. 18, 1969 for a snap-on plastic cover. Obviously, in cases such as this, no unsightly holes need be made in the cladding and the snap-on cladding will conceal the fastener heads in the surface of the trim member from view. See also the liners used to cover nails driven through siding into supporting wooden structural members in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,902,292 and 3,974,606 issued to J. N. LaBorde on Sep. 2, 1975 and Aug. 17, 1976, respectively. In the two latter mentioned patents, however, the liners stand off of the members being covered to conceal nails, but do not fit those members in a close conforming manner.
By means of my invention, the cladding can be advantageously applied to a trim element in a close fitting manner before the trim element is fastened to a supporting structural element and, yet, the fasteners and holes made through the cladding by or for the fasteners can still be concealed from view.